Bengals Release CB Trae Waynes

The Bengals announced on Monday they have released CB Trae Waynes.

We've made the following roster moves:
– Signed WR Trenton Irwin to a one-year contract for the 2022 season.
– Released CB Trae Waynes. pic.twitter.com/VhbKUV0v7D

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 21, 2022

This has been expected for some time, as Waynes hasn’t been able to stay healthy despite being a major free agent signing two seasons ago. 

The Bengals also re-signed WR Trenton Irwin. 

According to Over The Cap, releasing Waynes creates $10.5 million in cap savings and leaves $5 million in dead money. 

Waynes, 29, is a former first-round pick out of Michigan State by the Vikings in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $12.944 million rookie contract when the Vikings picked up his fifth-year option. 

Waynes made a base salary of $9,069,000 for the 2019 season under his fifth-year option. He was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career when he signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Bengals. 

However, injuries limited him to just five games in two years for Cincinnati. 

In 2021, Waynes appeared in five games for the Bengals and recorded 11 total tackles, no interceptions, and one pass deflection.